New Atlanticist

Sharp insights and bold ideas from across the Council

From climate change to the China challenge and the contest between democracy and dictatorship, the New Atlanticist is where top experts and policymakers at the Atlantic Council and beyond offer exclusive insight on the most pressing global challenges—and the US role in addressing them alongside allies and partners.

The Council’s flagship section features big ideas, groundbreaking research, lightning-fast expert reactions, in-depth analyses, and thought-provoking commentary to shape public policy.

Obama’s Afghanistan Speech: What to Look For

New Atlanticist
Sep 4, 2025

Dispatches from Damascus: The state of Syria’s postwar transition nine months after Assad’s fall

On a recent trip to the Syrian capital, Atlantic Council experts took note of how far the country has come since the Assad regime’s fall and what still needs to happen to secure peace and prosperity.

New Atlanticist
Aug 29, 2025

Twenty questions (and expert answers) about the negotiations to end Russia’s war in Ukraine

By
Atlantic Council experts

August saw a flurry of diplomatic activity to end Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As September nears, Atlantic Council experts share their insights on what to expect next.

Conflict
Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

New Atlanticist
Aug 28, 2025

Germany wants to double its defense spending. Where should the money go?

By
Atlantic Council experts

After decades of Berlin underinvesting in its defense, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has plans to transform the Bundeswehr into Europe’s strongest military.

Defense Policy
Europe & Eurasia

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When major global news breaks, the Atlantic Council’s experts have you covered—delivering their sharpest rapid insight and forward-looking analysis direct to your inbox.

Experts React

Dive deep into developing stories, guided by continually updated expert analysis that leaves you better informed about the most pressing global issues behind the headlines.

Markup

Our experts decipher and annotate major speeches and policy documents to break down big ideas and lay them out in plain language.

New Atlanticist

Nov 30, 2009

Obama’s Afghanistan Speech: What to Look For

By James Joyner

President Obama’s speech tomorrow night, in which he finally announces his Afghan strategy and responds to General McChrystal’s September request for more troops, will be closely watched by the American public, our NATO Allies, foreign leaders, and the people of Afghanistan and the region.

Afghanistan

New Atlanticist

Nov 30, 2009

Swiss Minaret Ban Latest Salvo in Religious War

By Arnaud de Borchgrave

Ask Google a question — one of the hundreds of millions it receives every day from all over the world — and in 2.8 seconds it has scanned some 30 billion Web pages and a couple of billion images, and produced scores of possible answers. Pity the cub reporter who has yet to develop what […]

New Atlanticist

Nov 30, 2009

OSCE’s Role in Afghanistan

By Borut Grgic

On Tuesday, the foreign ministers of 56 participating states in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe will gather in Athens to review the security developments in a region spanning from Vancouver to Vladivostok.

Afghanistan

New Atlanticist

Nov 25, 2009

Is Pakistan Serious about the U.S.?

By Harlan Ullman

Convened for the first time by the Canadian Ministry of National Defense and the German Marshall Fund – a think tank established by the German government in honor of Gen. George Marshall and the plan for European recovery that bore his name – the Halifax International Security Forum met over the weekend.

Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Nov 24, 2009

Philippa Thomas Interview: India PM Visit

By James Joyner

Sarwar Kashmeri, a nonresident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s International Security Program, interviewed Philippa Thomas, presenter of BBC’s World News Today, for the New Atlanticist Podcast Series. Thomas discussed the visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to the United States.

New Atlanticist

Nov 24, 2009

Ashton Can Fix EU Foreign Policy

By Borut Grgic

The new pair to lead Europe on the world stage has a tall order of business to attend to as soon as sworn into office. It is shameful that so many are wasting time and energy on wishing that the European leaders decided differently on these appointments.

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Nov 24, 2009

Global Financial Collapse Coming?

By Arnaud de Borchgrave

Reputable financial houses, as they are described online, are telling their clients how to prepare for potential “global collapse” over the next two years. France’s Societe Generale, according to the London Daily Telegraph’s chief investigative reporter, Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, is such a house that is now “mapping a strategy of defensive investments to avoid wealth destruction.”

Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

Nov 24, 2009

Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict Needs a New Security Conference

By Alexandros Petersen

Alexandros Petersen, Dinu Patriciu Fellow for Transatlantic Energy Security and associate director of the Eurasia Energy Center at the Atlantic Council, was interviewed by Leyla Tagiyeva of Azerbaijan’s News.Az on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

New Atlanticist

Nov 23, 2009

Obama and Afghanistan: No Good Choices

By Don Snow

Within the next several days, President Obama will likely announce his decision regarding American strategy in Afghanistan. He has kept his counsel close to the vest on this, and I have no idea good enough to bet on what he will decide. One thing I do know for certain: regardless of what his decision is, […]

Afghanistan

New Atlanticist

Nov 23, 2009

Role of the EU in Nagorno-Karabakh

By Borut Grgic

Atlantic Council nonresident senior fellow Borut Grgic was interviewed by Aliyah Fridman of Azerbaijan’s News.Az on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

European Union International Organizations

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